Horace His arte of Poetrie, Epistles, and Satyrs Englished and to the Earle of Ormounte By Tho. Drant addressed |
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Of the Arte of Poetrye.
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 | Horace His arte of Poetrie, Epistles, and Satyrs Englished |  |
Of the Arte of Poetrye.
A Paynter if he shoulde adioynevnto a womans heade
A longe maires necke, and ouerspred
the corps in euerye steade
With sondry feathers of straunge huie,
the whole proportioned so
Without all good congruitye:
the nether partes do goe
Into a fishe, on hye a freshe
Welfauord womans face:
My frinds let in to see this sighte
could you but laugh a pace?
Pisoes truste me, that booke shalbe
muche lyke vnto this same,
Whose fancies lyke a sickemans dreames
so rudelye hange in frame,
That heade and feete do square from th whole.
Poets, and painters aye
Haue had lyke charter to attempte
all kynde of worke (you saye).
I know, I craue this libertie,
and geue the lyke also.
But not that matters wilde, and mylds
without reason should goo
Blended as one, seynge Poets may,
this leaue they do not fynde
Serpents with byrds, Tyger with lambes
to ioyne againste their kinde.
To bigge beginnings, and vauntynge
ofte tymes a purple clowte
Of words impertinente is brought,
to helpe the matter oute:
which hastely doth glyde,
When rushing Rhemus is descriude,
or rayne bowes painted pride.
Such babble (God wote) needed not,
but sum of that sorte be,
There common place, and theame is still
upon the Cypresse tree.
If that sum man would haue strange things,
and geson geare depainted,
How can he earne ought in such case
that is with nowghte acquainted?
Let things be formall of one kinde
and do not chop it vp
To make tone part a gallon potte,
and tone a prittie cup.
The more deale of vs Poets, both
the olde, and younge most parte,
Are ofte begylde by shewe of good,
affectinge to muche arte.
I laboure to be verye breife,
it makes me verye harde.
I followe flowinge easynes,
my style is clearely marde
For lacke of pith and sauerye sence,
Write loftie, thou shalte swell:
He creepes by the grounde to lowe, afrayde
with stormie vayne to mell.
He that in varyinge one pointe muche
would bringe forth monstruouse store,
Would make the dolphin dwell in wooddes
and in the flud the bore.
The shunning of a faulte is such
that now and then it will
Procure a greater faulte, if it
be not eschewde by skill.
in brasse will vndertake
The nales and hayres of sundrie men
righte conninglye to make.
A much vnhappie workmanship
which neuer cums to ende.
If euer I should take in hande
eyther to make or mende,
Er I would do such parcell acts
and nowght to full ende bringe,
Erste would I weare a croked nose
or in the same a ringe.
Picke out such matter ye that wryte
thats meetest for your strengthe.
Trye well your backs, what theie wil beare,
or what not beare at lengthe.
He that hath chewsde his matter suche
as he can well assayle,
Nor ticklinge eloquence, nor him
shall lightsum order fayle.
This is of order, as I iudge
the vertewe, and the grace,
Sumtimes to speake, sumtyme to leaue,
and passe bye for a space,
That one might speake, and caste it of
vntill a further tyme.
Let him with choyse chewse, and refuse
that would set forth a ryme.
Thou must be suttle, and warye
in placing of thy geare.
By wittie composition
its excellente to heare.
A knowne worde straunged hansumlye.
If we haue neade to shewe
Newe wordes for things, which things them selues
are now inuented new,
Wordes neuer vsde of other men
is beste for to deuise.
vsed in shamfaste wyse,
And nouell words inuented late.
shall better credit bringe,
If sparinglye, not violentlie
They sourde from greekishe springe.
The Romans to Cecilius,
and Plautus leaue to faigne
Why should they geue, and from Uirgil
and Uarye it detaine
T'inuente a fewe wordes if I can
why should they so me hate?
Since Ennius, and Catos toungue
our mother toungue of late
Inritchde, and brought vp nouell termes.
it is, and euer shall
Be lefull to geue name to that,
that hath no name at all.
As wooddes are made debayre of leaues
by turnyng of the yeare,
The oldest fall: So antique age
of words away do weare.
As lusty youths of cresciue age
doe florishe freshe and grow
And crepe in creditt and conceit,
whiche whilom were full lowe
And we, and ours are due to death.
hauens, and creakes, the grounde
Nowe tamde with plough, which heretofore
vnfruitfull hath bene founde,
Attempts of kings, which were deuisde
for wealth of nations then
Shall perish all, and perish shall
the facts of mortall men.
Much lesse of speaches longe can lyue
the honour and the grace.
shall ryse gain in space.
As these in space muste feele theire fal,
if vse do lyke them ill,
Who hath to iudge, autorish, reule,
all maner speache at will.
The facts, the seats of kings, and dukes
and baylful battailes sad,
What kynde of verse is beste for them
In Homer maye be had.
In rymes vneauen, at first complaints
and after in that kynde
Were written fansies dumpes, and all
affections of the mynde.
But who the prittie Elegies
fyrst on their feete did set,
Grammarians stryue, and that case is
in controuersie yet.
Rage armed fyrst Archilacus
with his Iambus verse.
Our commodies, and tragedies,
in whiche we do reherse,
For interchaung of talke right meete,
which doth in sounding passe
The noyse of crowde, to set forth things.
that vearse inuented was.
The Musies taughte in lyrike verse
the Goddes, and theire of springe
The warlike vigor, and that horse,
which pryce away did bringe,
Amors of youth, and and banquets francke
on instruments to sing,
If I nor can, nor know to kepe
an order due at all
Ne coloure braue my writings, why,
sholde they me Poet call?
to learne which I ne know?
One maye not thinke things comicall
in Tragike blasts to blowe.
Phyestes feaste is ill set out
with simple words and tame.
Let all things haue theire comlye roume
well fitted in the same,
Sumtymes the commodye lookes vp
and liftes her voyce with all.
And crabbed Chremes for his thrifte
with open mouth will brall.
The tragicall doth sumtymes talke
as meanelye as one can:
Syr Teliphus, and Pelius,
both pore, and exiles then
Put out no puffes, nor thwackyng words
words of to large assyce
If by their words they meane to moue
affects in any wyse.
Not lore enough in Poesis,
let them be sweetlye fynde,
And let them leade to where them liste
the hearers plyante mynde.
The cheares of men as theie will smerke
on those that vse to smyle:
So are theye wrinchd, when theye do weepe
and chaungd within a whyle.
If thou wouldste haue me weepe for the
firste muste thou pensyfe be.
Thy harmes shall hitte me, when I spye
that they haue harmed the.
If Teliphus or Pelius
your words be out of place,
Wyse men will sleepe, whiles theye are spoke
and laughe at them apace
thretynge the vysage grim
For iokand, wanton, for the sage
ryghte seriouse wordes be trim.
Nature before the outward acte
doth frame vs to eche hap
By secret workinges of hir owne:
In pleasures she doth lap,
Or shoueth on the harte with ire,
or presseth to the grounde.
The vanquishd brest with dolors dinte,
then shunninge to be bounde
To inward passions of the minde,
she powreth oute at longe
The drirye drawghte of al her thoughtes
with benefyt of tounge.
If vnfyt for the personage
the talke do ronne awrye,
The nobles, and the prease therewith
will strike vnto the skye.
The page, or peare, whether doth speake
It skilleth nothing more
A freshe hote younker cocke braine, wylde,
or old man, sage, and whore.
A matrone ritche, or paynefull nurse,
the marchaunte venturer,
Or he that fewe good fassions knowes
th' unciuill grounde tiller.
The Colcus, or assyrian,
at Thebes, or Arge vp broughte,
If circumstaunces be not markt
the matter wilbe nought.
Writer, of who so thou shalt wryte
speake, as the moste men say,
Or if thou feyne, feyne then the things
as truthlyke as you maye.
As other men haue done,
Let him be swift, chafing, vnprayed,
inflamde to vengaunce sone.
Let him denie that lawes were made
for him or any suche.
Let him by weapon beare him stowte,
and thereby chalange muche.
Let Medea be ferse, on mowde,
let Ino still be sad,
Ixie trothlesse Io wandring,
Orestes neuer glade.
A straunge attemptate to the stage
if that thou darst commit,
And darste a personage vnseene,
in nou ell mannor fitte:
Marke well, wherwith thou didst begin,
and vse the matter so
That top, and tayle in lyke semblaunte,
and tennor true may go.
Much hard it is in proper talke
to write a thing vnknowne.
Better it is the Ilyads
to stage ageine were drawne,
Then that thou shouldest in practise put
things knowne, nor hard before.
A publique matter may be thought
to cume from pryuate store,
If that one do not treade out right,
the trodden, vsed waye.
Thou shalt haue no regarde at all
word for word to oute lay.
If thou wouldest turne things faythfullye
and do not imitate
So iumpingly, so precyselie
and step, for slep so strayte,
or ells to ende the thinge
As it began, thou canst not moue
ne yet thy foote out bringe.
Begin not as that Poet once
that fowle mouthe Cyclike lowte
Pryams fortune, and famous fightes,
at full I will layt oute,
What will our promiser tell vs
for suche a gaping fitte,
The Mountaines trauayle, we shall haue
a mouse to laughe at it.
How much more cicumspectlie he
which nothing did a misse,
How were his wits aduysed well
when he inuented this.
Set out my Muse to me the man
Since Troye taken (quoth he)
VVhich did the manners of much men,
and sundry Cytties see.
Not smoke of flame, but flame of smoke
he woulde haue to procede,
And learne of him, if thou woldst make
a poesie in deede.
Not Antiphas, Scylla, Cycloppes,
Charibdis to displaye,
Nor Dyamede from brothers death
how that he came awaye.
For writing of the Trioane warr
and Greekes fayre buskinde leggs,
He doth not fetche his matter downe
from Ladye Ledaes eggs,
He hasteth on vnto the happes,
the hearer hee doth drawe
Into the thickst, & lets I, him tast,
as he the whole did know.
t'intreate to good effecte,
To spare his laboure, and his words
he doth it all reiect.
So feyneth he, things true and false
so alwayes mingleth he,
That first with midst, and middst with laste,
maye cotten, and agree.
What I and all require of the
this for thy learning harke.
If thou wouldest haue vs stand stocke still,
and to the ende to marke,
That when the Epilogue is done
we may with franke intent,
After the plaudite stryke vp
our plausible assente:
Of fortes, and ages thou must note
the mannor and the guyse.
A decensie for stirring youth,
for elder folke likewise.
The childe as he can speake and go
furthewith is glad of play,
A mongst his mates, and gathers hart
to cuffe, and learnes to fraye:
And this he hath peculiar
he changeth without reason.
No one thinge is, that can like him
but for a very season.
Unbearded youth, at last rid from
the Tutors barring charge,
Horse, hauke, or hownde, flaunt, & carouste
into the fielde at large.
Plyaunt as war to any sinne
most spytefull, and most fell,
To those that seeke his proofit most
by warning of him well.
a squanderer of goold,
Hawtie, hastye sone hote in loue,
and sodanly as could.
Mans state, and mynde doth turne that trade
he ginnes to caste his eye
To rytches, and acquayntaunce strayghte
and hauks to be on hye.
He takes good heede, not to commit
through giddines of brayne
The facte, which he for very shame
must nedes vndo againe:
Old men haue much encombrances
the myser spendes his witte,
In gettinge, and the gotten spares
nor dares he spende of it.
Couldlie, and toto tymerous
his sentence he doth geue
Prolonginge, hoping, past his woorke,
desyerouse aye to lyne,
Churlishe, wranglinge, a prayser of
the tyme he lyued in.
A solemye Censor, and chastner
of euery younge mans sinne.
As yeares do helpe vs mightely
whilst we cum at a staye:
So after they disuauntage vs,
and breake vs to decaye.
Leaste youth of age, and age of youth
do saye, and play the parte
To shape oute things accordyngly
besetes a Poets arte.
Matters be either done on stage,
or to ulde how they were done,
The things reported to the eares
moue not the myne so sone.
in acte for to behold:
Such actes as may be done within
no reason is they shold
Be shewed abroade: And many thinges
thou maiste remoue from sighte,
Which good, and ready eloquence
may staight way bring to light.
Medea may not openly
her tender children slay,
Nor wicked Atreus mens gutts
in sethinge vessels play.
Nor Progne turne into a bird,
Nor Cadmus to a snake.
I trust nothing thou shewes me so
but in woorst parte it take.
The play that would be sought after
and often cum in place,
Must haue fyue acts, nor more, nor lesse
for therein is a grace
God must be none brought on the stage,
but in such case and tyme,
When mortall man, cannot reforme
nor dignely plage the cryme.
Enoughe for fower to speake in sight,
And if the nede be suche
That moe must talke, cut of the last
and let them not speake much.
Th' autor the Chorus must defende
or els some other one
Whose innocensie, or manhode
deserueh prayse alone.
Let them not singe twixt act, and acte
that squayreth from the rest.
Such let their songs be, as will tune
vnto the purpose best.
and ioyne in verdict cleare,
Rewle the vnrulie, and loue them
which to offende they feare.
Let them prayse homelie, simple cheare,
and wholsume iustice prayse,
Lawes, and safe rest with open gayts,
and peace in all the wayes.
Let them conceale things credited,
to God oft let theim praye,
That lucke may growe vnto the meeke,
and to the prowde decay.
The shawme was not as it is nowe
with copper wrythed in
In trumpet wyse but small it was,
few breathinge holes, and thin.
Fit for a Chorus and as yet
the boystus sounde, and shryll,
Of trumpetes clange, the stalles was not
accostomed to fill.
Came thether folke sone numbred,
for why, the crowde was small
A thriftie flocke, a shamefast flocke,
and therto chast withall.
But when by conquest they began
theire borders to extende,
And brode their walls abowte the towne
for pompe were made to bende,
And when that men had felte a swete
in daylye bellie cheare,
So banquetinge eche hollyday
without remorce or feare,
Theire musicke, and their melodye
increased more and more.
The hobbes as wise as grauist men,
rid from their trauaile sore,
most contemptible clowne,
As perte as pye dothe presse amongst
the wysest of the Towne.
So, motions and wantonnes,
vnto his former art
The minstrell addes, as hoyting he
as any of his part.
Then with the twanginge instrumente
the singers voyce did matche,
And that did nouell Eloquence,
and loftie speaches hatche.
A solemne speake mete for great things,
which knoweth after clappes:
A speach wherin the Delphique Phœbe
might tell men of their happs.
He that stroue first in Tragicke verse,
but for a sillie gote,
Set out Satyrs incontinente,
things rustical (god wote.)
With wholsom bitter grauitye
he proued to make sport,
With allurements, and newe conceyts,
to please a doltishe sort,
A sort past grace, and dronken to,
vnrewlie, rude and rashe.
We may not so prayse Satyrists,
which sumtymes for a crashe,
Make many mery with their taunts,
and geue theim leaue to play,
So that both godds, and noblemen
in splendent vestures gay,
Sham not their garmēts, & them selues
with common ale house talke.
The Tragedie muste shun the grounde,
yet not in welking walke,
of peltinge bables small,
Is not of nature Tragical,
nor fit for it at all.
The matrone blusheth, that is bod
to daunce in open day,
So sober Satyrists must be
amiddste their frollicke play.
To those that only loue the rewde,
and signifyinge worde
In Satyrs, I a Satyriste
Pisoes do not accorde,
Nor will not so confounde my termes,
that difference none be,
Twixt Dauus, and bould Pythyas.
The shrew, the damsell, she
Who could cosen olde Simo syre
and at his hands coulde gayne,
A tallant by collusion,
and sleight ligerdemayne.
The rurall Gods must haue their speache
if they do speake in prese.
I would indyte familiarlie
and vtter with myne ease,
That eche man may assure him selfe,
to do the like agayne,
But when he shall attemptate geue.
he shall but sweat in vayne.
Order, and composition,
so in them selues excell,
And meane matter cleanly set out
deserueth prayse so well.
The rurall goddes (if I can iudge)
must looke in any case
That they speake not lyke ciuill folkes,
brought vp in peopled place.
of rybawdrye to ryfe,
Or slaunderouse: for vnto sum
it brings offence and stryfe.
The noble, honorable, rytche,
and also most of those
Which ought can do, will snuffe, and take
it peper in their nose.
What Tom, and Tib do rectefie,
what lykes the carter clowne,
The wyse men take not in good parte,
nor couer it wyth crowne.
The foote of Syllabs shorte, and long
Iambus hath to name.
A muche swift foote, and trymeter
(the verse which of the same,
Consists) is cawld, with six wight feete
it speedelie doth strike.
The first and last as all the rest
in pure verse are a lyke.
That more slowlie, and more grauelye,
it might cume to our eares,
It now the stade Spondeus foote
within it quyet beares.
In the fourth Roume and seconde roume
Iambus still hath bene.
In Ennius or Accius,
Spondie is seldom seene.
Bugge verses which cum to the stage
with waight of wordes alone
Louslie layd out, to sone suruayd,
hauinge of science none.
A learned iudge wil passe on them
as giltye of great cryme.
What thoughe sum iudges can not marke
the iarringe of a ryme.
an ample charter haue?
should I goe wryte at Randonne tho,
and vage abroade, and raue?
Or should I thincke my faltes would be
subiecte to all mens sight?
Within the hope of pardon, I
employed haue my mighte
To scape from scapes, and them to shun
by all possible wayes:
Wyth all my hart I do confesse
I neuer erned prayse.
The presidentes of greake wryters
to know, and vnderstand,
Reede them, and turne them day and nighte
with neuer ceasing hand.
Our forefathers, which Plautus rymes,
and tothesume sweetned vayne,
With lodes of commendations
did prayse, and prayse againe:
It was in them greate patience,
follye I will not say,
So to admire his verse, or vayne,
nether is veray gaye.
If I or you the taunting grace
can iudge from scurrill gere,
Or can measure the lawe of sounde
by fingering, or by eare.
Thespis to fynde out Tragidies
bestowed firste the paynes,
And led about his players, and
his playing stuffe in waynes.
Sonnets to singe, and things to speake
in that vnparfit case,
The personages were disgysde
by smering of theire face.
was founder Eschilus.
How that the stage adornde should be
he firste instructed vs.
To excercyse lowde speakinge, and
to couche alofte our voyce,
To teache all kynde of iesturyngs
with cumlines, and choyse.
Nexte came the antique commodie
and she wun all the prayse.
Hyr licence hath made dissolute
and lawlesse now a dayes.
But stayed was, and whiste she was
whishde to her vtter shame,
Because gone was hyr priueledge
so bitterly to blame.
Our Poets lefte nought vn assayde,
and they not worship leaste
Deserued haue, who of them selues
aduenterously haue ceasde
Further to trade in greekishe steppes:
and bouldlye starte vp then
The iollie iestes of natyue land
in natyue toungue to pen.
As Italie in Chiualrie,
and manhood doth excell:
So ere this time in perfitte speach
it mighte haue borne the bell,
But that our lither Poets all
of one disease are sicke:
Theye cannot stay to scum theire stuffe,
nor lumpishe trauaile licke.
You Pisoes (blood of Pompelie)
those verses reprehende,
Whiche longe deliberation
and rasinge did not mende
and on the fingers scande,
Correcting, and perfyting them
with ouernotynge hande.
Because Democrites iudgd art
to be more basse then witte,
Therefore those drummidories seeke
so sleightlie after it.
And for because from Helicon
the same man did exclude
All those, whiche were not straught of sence:
those lurdons are so lude
To let theire berde, and nayles growe out
to shun the open bayne,
Of hills, and dales, and secret steades
he feanes him to be fayne
Thoughe all the pothigaries stuffe
can scarcely purge his nowle
He thinckes hym wyse, his solempne bushe
because no man doth powle.
O dottrell I, I might or this
haue written noble geare
But that from collor, I am purgd
at springe tyme euery yeare.
It matters not, I am therefore
a whetstone in my wit,
Which can cause Irne and style to cut
ne cut it selfe a whit.
I will teach others how to do,
the paynes I will not take.
I will tell them how to be ritche,
what dyet, what will make
A Poet good, what doth becom,
and what vnsetting is.
To what virtew will vs conducte,
and erroure leade amis.
the fountayne, and the well,
As do the bookes Socraticall
purposedlye the tell
And wordes will cum vpon the faste
at elbowe waytyng due
If that the matter in the mynde
thou wilte before suruew.
He that hath learnde, what he doth owe
vnto his countrie deare,
Unto his parentes, brothers, frinds,
what duetie he doth beare:
What doth concerne the Senatour
what doth the iudge behoue:
What doth become the chifetan beste
to set vpon and moue:
Him dare I warraunte of my worde
that he can tell, or none,
What properlye is incidente
to persons euerychone.
The learned imitatour, I
do wishe that he should caste
An eye into the lyfe of men
and practyses now paste,
That he maye to the verye quicke
his lyuelie phraises lay
Sumtimes an honest merye tayle
(lasciuiousnes away)
Delytes, and stayes the people more,
then do a thousande rymes
Deuoide of matter, shrill trifles
and waterde well with crimes.
The muse gaue wit to Greekes, to Greekes
a trowlinge tounge she gaue:
Who onely glorie, and renowne
were couetouse to haue.
no other kynde of artes,
But all day longe do set and part,
a sum into his partes.
Learne them to multiplye an ounce
by ounce and manie ounces,
So that this thing to multiplie
still in theire mynde reiounses.
And nusled once in casting counts
and care to multiplye
When to cancard coyne castynge once,
theire wittes theye do applye,
How can we thincke that they can make
or that theire verse should be
Worthie in Ceder to be writ
or kepte in Cypres tree.
The Poets seeke to proffit the,
or please thy fansie well,
Or at one time things of proffit
and pleasaunce both to tell.
In all thy preceptes be thou briefe
that learners quicklye maie
Conceiue thy words, and that the same
in faithfull mynde to staye.
What s'euer is superfluose,
to muche, and oftens tould,
Doth fill the hearer paste the brim
that long he cannot hould.
The things thats fainde for pleasure sake
be nexte to true in place.
No commodie can hope to haue
all credit in eche case.
To bringe in as a trim deuise
an ould wyfes chat, or tale
Of wiches buggs, and hobgoblings,
such trashe is noughte to sayle.
the sage sorte will not heare
And austere woorkes, the youthfull sorte
will ouerlooke them cleare.
He beares the bell in all respects
who good with sweete doth minge:
Who can in delectable style
good counsaile with him bring.
His bookes the stationers will bye,
beyonte Sea it will goe,
And will conserue the authors name
a thowsand yeare, and mo.
Yet certayne Peccadilians
which scape yea in the beste,
Are to be borne the better with
by reason of the reste.
For not the lute string alwayes strikes,
as hande, and minde would haue.
It will sounde base, and lowe when we
an highe lowde stroke woulde haue.
Nor yet the bowe dothe euer hitte
the thinge which it doth threate.
If that the more deale of the worke
be bewtifull and neate,
A fewe scapes shall not greue me muche,
with negligence let lye,
Or which because that we are men
muste now and then passe bye:
What then? he that compyles a worke,
and warned doth offende
In one thinge ofte, is perdonles
if that he dothe not mende.
As maye that minstrell well be mockd,
and woorthelie I wisse,
Which euer of the selfe same stringe
dothe vse to stryke amisse.
is Cherilus to me,
Whome writynge two or three good rimes
I maruaile at with glee.
Yet am righte wrothe that any good
should cum from such a sotte.
Good Homer now and then him selfe
will slumber well I wotte.
If that our woorke be longe and huge.
so harde it is to kepe
Our selues wakinge, it is dispensde
if sumtymes we do sleepe.
A Poesie is picture lyke,
the which if thou stande nere,
Delytes the muche: sum picture more
if further of thou were.
This hathe a better grace in darke,
and this in open day,
The scanning skill of viewinge iudge
can it no whit afraye.
This Poesie hath had his tyme
it was well liked once,
An other hath bene lykd ten tymes,
An, Aperse for nonce.
(O eldeste of thy bretherne all)
althoughe with fathers voyce
Thou arte well taughte, and of thy selfe
thou haste a sauerie choyse.
Yet take this sainge of my mouthe
and take it with the cleane.
Sum thing there is, which will admit
a tollerable meane,
Th' attorney and the counsaloure
thoughe theye be meane in plea
Unlyke to them which at the barre
and benche do beare the swea.
theye both haue bene, and are.
And many a man for theire aduyce
will seeke to them from farre.
But that meane Poets were the beste
that neuer graunted yet
Or God, or man or monuments
or euidence of writte.
Ill sawses, or ill melodie
when we do suppe, or dyne
Is little worthe, for those aparte,
the feaste mighte haue bene fyne:
So Poemes first deuisde, to sporte,
and recreate the mynde
Are beste, or worste by standinge in
or qualynge from theire kynde.
He dare not turney, nor yet tilte
which neuer knew the play:
The stoole ball, top, or camping ball
if suche one should assaye
As hath no mannour skill therin,
Amongste a mightye croude,
Theye all would screeke vnto the skye
and laughe at hym aloude.
Yet he that knows no foote in verse
will bouldly versefy.
What els? he is a gentleman,
ten thowsande francklins lye
By him to spende, and besydes that
so woorshipfull a man:
Such qualityes, and of greate cryme
no man conuicte hym can.
Yea, gentle men are goodlye men,
what so theye will, they maye:
But Piso, againste nature thou
shalte nothing doe, or say.
But if in after time
Thou shalt haue great affection
to publishe any ryme,
Let it be first examined,
by Metius his eare,
And by thy fathers, and by myne:
kept cloase a nyne longe yere.
The scrowles which be at home with the
at leasure thow mayst mende.
The faltes thats passed once in print,
are passed without ende.
The holly one greate Orpheus
the goddes enterpreter,
The saluage folke from beastlyke life,
and murder dyd deter:
So sayd the Tygers to aswage
and Lyons rampinge power.
So was it sayd of Amphion
founder of Theban tower,
With twang of harp to stir the stones,
with orisons deuyne
To leade th' unwylde creatures
to where he would assyne.
This was the wisedome in those dayes,
this counted they their gaine,
To part thinges publique from priuate
and sacred from prophaine.
For to inhibit wandring lustes
and wedlocke knot to tye,
Lawes to ingrale in during brasse,
and reare up townes on hye.
So got the godlike poets first
their honoure, and their name,
And for their verses al the world
did celibrate their fame.
and Tyrtheus with verse
Did make the lustie youthfull bruits
to battel fresh, and fearse.
By verses were mens fortunes tolde
and rewles to lyue aright,
And princes fauoures were procurde
by verse, and ryming sleighte,
Uerse is a solace, after worke,
a chase for noble game,
And perdie man to versifie
it nede be thoughte no shame.
For madam muse could tune the harpe,
Appollo knew the same.
If verse prayse worthie written were
by nature or by arte,
Demaunde hath bene, but I am thus
resolued for my parte,
That neyther studie can do good
without a welthie witt,
Nor yet the witt not well applied
can proffit one a white,
So witte, and, studie lincked are,
so doth the one requyre
The others helpe, so louengly
in one they do conspyre.
He that doth studie to cum to
the marke, which all men would,
Hath sufferde, and done muche in youthe
oft sweating, and oft coulde,
Refrainde from wyne and Uenery.
The minstrel that doth singe.
Was taught, and fearde his master firste
er he profest the thinge.
Now its enoughe to say, that I
can passing poemes make,
A shendefull shame him take.
I thincke it shame to cum behynde,
to graunt I do not shame,
In that which I was neuer tawghte
me skillesse in the same.
The Cryer, as he cawles in on
the companye to bye
In portesaile of his marchaundise
as they do thether hye:
So doth the poet, ritche in lande,
and ritche in banqued goulde,
Assemble al his parasyts
to heare his prayses toulde.
If that a poet vsuallie
mantayneth lusty cheare,
And wilbe suretie for pore knaues
in suites them to vp beare,
I maruaile if that his fortune
and goodlucke should be such
To know false flatterers, from true frends,
theire faces wilbe such.
If thou hast geuen any ought,
or further dost intende
Beware to any merrie greeke
thy verses to commende.
He wil crye wel, notablye well,
passing, exceding well,
He will waxe pale from frendly eyes
his teares he will expell.
Daunce, and bedunche the grounde with fote
as those which hyred be
To waile, and morne at funeralls
(as far furth as wee see)
Both do, and speake more heuily
and rufull in their kinde,
Then those which inwardly with griefe,
are gryped in their minde.
and glosinge wordes, aboue
The prayses of the well meaninge,
who doubtles do the loue.
Great princes vse to make muche of,
to feast, and feast agayne,
With strong, and heady drinkes t'assay
what was the wit and brayne,
Of those to whom theire amitye
they ment for to admit.
To proue how they for grande affayres
and trusty things are fit.
If thou professe a poetrie
be not deceyued, bewayre,
And shun the flyring feasting face
which outwarde lookes so fayre.
If one vnto Quintilius,
did any thing reherse,
Frend (would he saye) you must correct
both such, and such a verse.
If he replye, that he ne knew
better to make the same
He would assaye yet twyse or thryse
and bid him mende, from shame,
To lay his rude ill turned stuffe
againe into the frame.
If thou hadst rather to defend
then to amend thy misse
Thou shoulde neuer haue conference,
nor counsaile more of his,
Thou mightst march on in thyne owne wayes
without his further suit,
And hugge, and, busse, and cull, and cusse
thy darling apishe fruite
Th' vnsauerie verse the goodman, and
the wise will reprehend,
which to no good can tende.
Bald lattin he will note and marke,
with scraping of their thum,
And ornaments superfluouse
from better chaffer scum.
He must make manifeste darke drifts,
and argue at thinges straunge,
He must lyke Aristarchus tel
what eche one ought to chaunge.
And thinke not much his very frende
in trifles to offende.
These tryfles wil proue earnest things,
and seriouse in the ende.
When al the worlde shal them deryde
and greuously theym grudge
And when al shal withe auckwarde doume
and sinister them iudge.
To those which haue the fawling euil
and lothely leprosye,
That be frantike and moone sicke, none
dare bouldly passe hym bye:
All men do feare the poet mad,
the wise sort wil him shun,
Younge boyes him vex, the foolish flocke
wil do as he hath done.
He that dothe belch out puffinge rymes,
and gaddingly doth straye,
Is like the fowler, who to catche
his birdes, as olde men say,
Gaue backe for nonce, into a trenche,
and thoughe a prease past by,
And thoughe with rope to haile him out
were present helpe hard by:
What if the fellowe, sayeth one,
went in with his good wil?
lay plasde in puddle still
To know how vyle, vaine glory is,
how perillous a thinge,
Empodocles of Sicilie
to what ende it did bringe
Tell you will I: of immortall
to purchase him the name,
For vaine glory he scipped quicke
to Etnaes fyerye flame.
In good time poets, if they will,
may make them selues awaye,
And who so letteth such an one:
as rightly might one slaye,
May happes he hath assayde before
how to procure his bayne,
May happes if he were nowe fore stayde
his staing were in vaine.
Still would he be besides him selfe
nor would not lay a syde
The fancie towardes famouse death
wherin he had a pride.
And no man knowes, what cause he had
to write such frantike gere
How irreligiouse he hath bene
deuoyde of godly feare,
But mad hee is, and like a beare
most ragingly he straynes,
And if he could with al his force
dispatche him of his chaynes.
Learnd, and vnlearnd he woulde confounde,
he redeth them so fearse,
And doth theire workes so snapingly,
and snatchingly rehearse.
Whom he hath seased, on, he houldes
and doth with reading kil,
The horseleach will not leaue the hyde
but hauing suckt her fil.
| Horace His arte of Poetrie, Epistles, and Satyrs Englished | |